The 13th Warrior's Recent Activity - Spout

Film:The 13th Warrior

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 18:12:14 GMT

Title: The 13th Warrior
Year: 1999
Director: John McTiernan
Plot: A cultured diplomat joins a band of savage warriors in time to meet an even more fearsome enemy in this historical adventure. In 922 A.D., Ibn Fadlan (Antonio Banderas) is a Muslim emissary from Baghdad en route to meet with the King of Saqaliba when he is captured by a gang of Vikings. While Ibn and his people are intelligent and well-mannered, the Vikings are a rowdy and sometimes unpleasant lot, with an unquenchable appetite for food, alcohol, and women. However, in time he develops an understanding and respect for the Viking warriors and is welcomed into their society by their leader, Buliwyf. However, Ibn must now join them as they return to their homeland once they receive word of an invasion by a huge pack of bloodthirsty invaders who will destroy and eat anything in their path -- including the flesh of the men they have killed. The 13th Warrior was based on the book Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton, which was in turn adapted from tales of Viking folklore. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 11
Number of Lists: 14
Number of blog posts: 1
Number of discussion threads: 10
SpoutRating: 3

Spout Post: New Movies 1/23 - Babes vs. Vikings

Mon, 19 Jan 2009 22:16:06 GMT

Post By: spout
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 1/19/2009 5:16:06 PM
Body: 1. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans -- Watch the trailer. In the much-awaited sequel Underwear: Rise of the Lycra, we learn that a wicked wedgie has taken the life of Kate Beckinsale. Replacing Beckinsale is Rhona Mitra, one of the toughest chicks I've ever seen in film. (Fans of post-apocalyptic horror should check out Neil Marshal's Doomsday. Watch the trailer.) Fleshing out the cast are Martin Sheen and the excellent Bill Nighy (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, Valkyrie). Nighy gave a hint about his role at the Comic-Con preview: "I’m a vampire, I’m a zombie, and I’m a squid. How many people do you know who can make that claim?" I don't know, but I've eaten those three kinds of meat at one sitting. How many can make that claim? Rise of the Lycra was preceded by Underwear: Elle Macpherson (watch trailer) and the original Underwear (watch trailer). Now, onto the next movie: 2. Inkheart -- Watch the trailer. Hey, speaking of Brendan Fraser, recast Encino Man to win a t-shirt. 3. Killshot -- Watch the trailer. What's more mysterious: when untalented people make a good film, or when talented people make a bad film? Since Killshot's release was bumped five times and was almost a direct-to-DVD release, it seems producer Harvey Weinstein just wants the film to go away. Read more. Still, there might be some potential here since it came from an Elmore Leonard novel. 4. Outlander (limited release) -- Watch the trailer. Wow, Vikings vs. aliens! I want this to be good, but since it's another film that Harvey Weinstein wanted to disappear, it's probably not. And darn it, why do they have to show the monster in the trailer? Outlander looks about as good as Pathfinder (2007), which was Vikings vs. Native Americans, or The 13th Warrior, which was Vikings vs. a Middle Eastern scholar. What kind of Viking match-ups would you like to see? How about Vikings vs. Predator? P.S., I really dug that Vikings vs. Tomb Raider movie, Beowulf (2006).

Spout Post: Re:Weekly Theme for November 10: Whatchamacallit, a Deus Ex Machina!

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 02:01:17 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Weekly Theme
Post Date: 11/13/2008 9:01:17 PM
Body: Thank you, Leeroy. Your explanation has clarified this a bit for me. But I am still not sure if I like the term or it's meaning. For example, Michael Chrighton wrote The Andromeda Strain as a novel before it was ever a movie. The ending of the movie followed closely with the novel. Don't you think that Chrighton had this entire story (INCLUDING the ending) worked out in his mind BEFORE he ever wrote the first words on paper? That 'duche machiny' thing doesn't work here. Chrighton was a genius who also attended medical school and who wrote several GREAT stories and even directed some of them! The 13th Warrior (Eaters of the Dead), Jurassic Park and Westworld are among the many things this guy has written. I don't think he has ever "written himself into a corner" EVER in his life! The same with Orson Welles and The War of the Worlds ... < GOR >

Spout Post: Re:The List!

Sat, 18 Oct 2008 09:45:20 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Heroines in Hollywood
Post Date: 10/18/2008 5:45:20 AM
Body: "There are only two things that scare me... women and the police." (Burt Reynolds in "White Lightning") ... You gotta love those warrior women! I thought the "Kill Bill" movies were EXCELLENT and I have a secret fantasy of Uma Thurman just beating the living shit out of me... just as long as she doesn't pluck my eyeball out of my head or cut me in two with her fucking sword! Other than that, it would all be good... Another good one would be Sanahl Bergman as 'Valeria' in Conan the Barbarian . She kicks some serious butt in that movie. Also, I think it is the same chick who plays Conan's Mom in that movie who also plays a boner inducing 'Viking Princess' in the excellent The 13th Warrior . Along these lines we must not forget Sigourney Weaver in the Alien series and Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween . And, of course, Linda Hamilton in The Terminator series... I could ramble on for hours on this subject but I will stop for now. Thanks again for starting this wonderful group! < GOR >

Spout Post: Re:Martial Arts starter kit

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 00:37:31 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Martial Arts Films
Post Date: 8/5/2008 8:37:31 PM
Body: It just so happens that the 'martial arts' film is easily my second favorite genre after Horror Movies! There are even a couple movies that dip into both genres! Does anyone remember the TERRIBLE Chuck Norris movie about an unstoppable killer called Silent Rage ? There was also the one with Peter Cushing in Legend Of The Seven Golden Vampires ... But anyone interested in getting into martial arts should start with Bruce Lee and progress from there... And I am talking about ALL of his movies including: The Chinese Connection and Fists Of Fury ... up through Enter The Dragon and Return Of The Dragon ... and even The Game Of Death ... These are some SERIOUS Martial Arts movies! Next you should look into Steven Seagal and Chuck Norris and Jeff Speakman and Jason Stathom and especially the old films of Sonny Chiba! ... Also, since boxing and sword-fighting and fighting in general are considered to be 'martial arts'. I would recomend The Warriors and The 13th Warrior and The Ultimate Warrior ... as good examples...

Spout Post: The 13th Warrior/Eaters Of The Dead

Thu, 13 Mar 2008 23:56:42 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: The Film Library
Post Date: 3/13/2008 7:56:42 PM
Body: Vikings Freaking Rule! There are simply not enough movies made about these guys, but the absolute BEST one I have ever seen is The 13th Warrior . To the even slightly trained eye this movie is based on 'Beowulf' with a healthy dosage of The Magnificent 7 thrown in as well. Needless to say, this movie rocks! It is one of my alltime favorites ranking right up there with The Lord Of The Rings trilogy and JAWS and several Horror Movies I have seen... (The Exorcist) ... I knew going in that this was based on an earlier Michael Crichton novel called 'Eaters Of The Dead' which I had not yet read... I have since procured the book and read it... fairly recently... about two or three years ago... This book is something else, indeed. There is a rather lengthy prologue/introduction that declares that the following story is all true (!) and based on an ancient Arab document that was found, appearently in scraps, in different places around Europe and the east. Appearently, as explained by Michael Chrighton in the appendix, there actually WAS such a document discovered that detailed an Arab's encounter with Vikings more than a thousand years ago. Although that document is the basis of the story in both the book AND the movie, NEITHER are ACTUALLY based on those documents! It was all made up by Michael Crichton! Yes, I know it's confusing. You would have to read the novel to understand it. At the end Crichton explains everything and exactly where this novel came from... A good read but the movie was better! < GOR >

Spout Post: Re:Re:They Got It Right

Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:35:03 GMT

Post By: TheWorkingDead
Post To: The Film Library
Post Date: 11/29/2007 10:35:03 PM
Body: Jurassic Park was a good one. Michael Chricton gets a lot of respect from me for being a really smart dude, even if I don't like all of his books. He's really good at writing blockbuster movies in novel form, and I usually enjoy that. Eaters of the Dead(The 13th Warrior)is a really good example. I love that book, it's such a great read. The movie disappointed me, but that was because I was expecting the book. If i checked it out again I'd probably enjoy myself.I read that book when I was younger, and, due to the author's foreward, thought it was based on true events. Chricton spends a lot of time in the beginning setting up the history of the documents that formed the basis of Eaters of the Dead, admitting to embellishing parts of it where text was missing or needed some spicing up, but saying it was mostly true. And then the novel has all of those historical/anthropological footnotes explaining the customs of the vikings and arabs. But then, to my embarrasment, a later edition was released and he admitted he made it up as part of a bet, that he couldn't write a Beowulf style book and have it become interesting and popular.

Spout Post: Re:They Got It Right

Thu, 29 Nov 2007 18:23:18 GMT

Post By: Risselada
Post To: The Film Library
Post Date: 11/29/2007 1:23:18 PM
Body: I love a lot of movies that I know are based on books, but unfortunately I haven't read many of them.Here are a couple where I both love the book and the movie:Fear and Loathing in Las VegasOne Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestCatch-22Jurassic ParkWatching Jurassic Park is one of my earlier memories of specifically wanting to read a book first and then see the movie. I remember I loved talking about the differences between the book and the movie. But I still think the movie is a good time.

Spout Post: Violence in movies...

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 04:15:39 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: Violence on film
Post Date: 11/19/2007 11:15:39 PM
Body: There are certain movies that are all about the violence! (insert your favorite horror movie here) And then there are some which are more 'drama' but with at least one or two really violent scenes for an 'attention-grabber' . In other words, in some cases the violence helps to tell the story, and in other cases, the violence IS the story... here are some examples... The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and ALL of the Clint Eastwood westerns ... Up to, and including, Unforgiven ... ALL of the Bruce Lee movies and most of the Steven Segal movies and Jean Claude Van Damme and Don 'the dragon' Wilson and Jeff Speakman , etc ... No. My favorite violent movies are the ones about real warriors... THAT is what it's all about! Movies like The Warriors and The Wild Bunch and The Magnificent Seven and The 13th Warrior and 300 are excellent examples of movies which are all about the violence... not to mention the Kill Bill series and every movie ever made by John Woo as well... They ALL have one thing in common, what some would call 'excessive' violence...

Spout Post: A hopefully sound and thoughtful review of my favorite movie.

Fri, 12 Oct 2007 05:50:38 GMT

Post By: Almuderas
Post To: Almuderas Blog
Post Date: 10/12/2007 1:50:38 AM
Body: I am biased because this is my all time favorite movie (it has to do with the nostaligia of seeing this as a kid), but this is what makes this movie so refreshing, even when watching it today; and what makes it so great. I used to watch this movie with my pops all the time when I lived at home, and still do when I go back. It's sort of our family movie. First of all, the language. If you have ever been or are interested in the languages of the world, and how they came about, you'll undoubtedly like this movie for those such attributes, if not anything else. This is a historicaly set movie, based in the 10 century, a time still in the remnants of the once great Roman Empire. We can definetly see this played out. For instance, theirs one scene early on in the movie where Ibn (Antonio Banderas) and his mentor (played by Omar Sharif) are in the main tent of the vikings, lead by Buliwyf (played by Vladimir Kulich, a hugely underworked actor in my opinion). Ibn and his mentor of course speak Arabic. They hail from ancient Baghdad, and are both academics and cultured in a time when few in the western world were. In order to understand the vikings, Ibn learns what is being said through his mentor, who in turn talks in Latin to one of the vikings who understands Latin, and in turn he tells them what is currently being spoken in the Norse language. The way that McTiernan and Chrichton organize this scene is culturally infusing, to say the least. We are treated with this realistic rendition of ancient travelers speaking to each other, using the semi-wordly and understood language of the Roman Empire to converse. This language pattern is seen throughout the movie, notably in another few scenes where Ibn traveling with his new found Viking companions, and he learns their language throughout the duration of their trip. The way that the words and phrases are transitioned during one scene around a campfire from Norse to the language that Ibn understands (Arabic, but we hear it as English) is just outstanding.So I know I've spent a long time talking about just that one aspect of the film, but I felt it was really crucial to the film. It contributes to the realism, and we can see it in the battle sequences too. Ibn is transformed from a pacific diplomat to a warrior, through the sheer emencity of being placed in immediate danger when battling the "Vendo." This enemy leaves a good amount to the imagination of who they really are, and who they could be if we were to place a historical reasoning to them (some have said Neanderthall ancestors, or just a primitive culture of people who didn't assimilate into the Norse identity). Whichever the case, they are a formidable enemy who at first don't seem human. The movie builds this suspense and you are with Ibn all the way throughout the movie, feeling his fear. You also feel the security and steadfastness that his viking companions excude when he is around them. Ibn is unsure, not confident in himself but the vikings who he is with, especially Buliwyf and Herger. Herger, especially, grows a certain friendship with Ibn. He seems to always maintain a cautious laughter about him, reasuring Ibn with casual and blunt responses to Ibn's particular questioning. Further, in concordence with Ibn finding his "inner warrior" (hence the name The 13th Warrior), Ibn constructs a scimitar out of his norse given broad sword. Okay, I'm 20 years old and have been seeing this movie for like 10 years now, and that is awesome, to say the least, even now when I watch it after so many times.The music, composed by Jerry Goldsmith, I believe is one of his great works, something that we are glad to have from him before he died. It's standard historical action-fare in some parts, sure, but the melody of the theme just captures the spirit of adventurism. Theirs also great influence seen with Arabic themes (sitars / guitars) in the music, mixed and matched with the Nordic feel. The movie flows really, really well. Theirs a side story with the king's son somehow wanting to take power and challenging the Viking troupe. The whole sequence isn't fleshed out properly, and I've heard that the book explains it in much better detail, and that the movie actually cut most of that side plot due to time constraints. Fair enough. Aside from that, the whole movie moves really well throughout.The actors give great performances. Antonio Banderas has an almost spot on middle eastern accent (my fathers side of the family is from that part of the world and I can attest to its' accuracy. Some have said it sounds Spanish, and maybe theirs a few spanish sounding syllables here and there, but over all it's spot on). His character of Ibn is played with a great heart. He might not be the most couragious or outgoing of people in the begining of the movie, but throughout we see his growth and determination foster into something really worth respecting. Theirs a scene in the peace before the last battle sequence where Ibn takes off his padded shoes and lowers himself to the ground to pray as a Muslim. Soon after, all of the Vikings as well as Ibn himself, prey in the Viking way of a beautiful chant, "Low there do I see my father, my mother, my sister..." The fusing of cultures just helps culminate the brotherhood spirit that these soldiers have grown to foster by the end of the film.All of the viking characters offer their own uniqeuness to their parts. Each viking had his own attributes and personalities. If theirs something to say that the movie lacks, I would have to say (coming from an ubiased point of view, hopefully), is that their arn't many great female roles. Their are two speaking parts in the movie which are given to women, and they don't amount to much. However, the performances given are really well done. So, this is my all time favorite movie. I really enjoy it for so many more reasons than listed, but I know that many of them are nostalgic in origin and probably can't be instated in someone just watching for the first time as an adult now. But, give it a chance. If you like history, languages, cultural intermixing, action, or just a great character driven story, I would recomend the 13th Warrior to you in a heart beat!

Spout Post: Re: Horror Movies Based on Real Events

Wed, 30 May 2007 23:58:43 GMT

Post By: Dr_Gor
Post To: HORROR MOVIES 101
Post Date: 5/30/2007 7:58:43 PM
Body: [quote user="meinrad1337"]If I'm not mistaken.. at the beginning of Return of the Living Dead.. doesn't it say BAsed on a true story??? Of course, based can mean anything.. By based it means that, at one time, there was a red-headed girl who got naked in a cemetary..once..[/quote] That was a JOKE, meinrad... what that meant was it was actually based on the 'true' events that inspired NOTLD... It is PURE fiction! ANY author or Movie Maker can say "based on true events", as long as there is a 'disclaimer' in there somewhere! ... Michael Chrighton did this with his NOVEL, "Eaters Of The Dead"... from which "The 13th Warrior" was derived! It says all over the cover that this book is "Based On ACTUALL HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS"! ... and then, inside, in really fine print, it says "this is entirely a work of fiction"... "The Blair Witch Project" guys tried to pull the same stunt with thier huge, pre-release internet campaign! Same is true of "The Legend Of Hell House" and "Cannibal Holocaust" ... and, on a slightly different level, "Snuff"... 'purported to be a REAL 'snuff film'! ... of course it ISN"T!

Spout Tag:action

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 03:10:56 GMT

action
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Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:22:02 GMT

monster
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Wed, 04 Nov 2009 18:20:45 GMT

cannibal
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Wed, 12 Aug 2009 13:02:59 GMT

poet
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Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:03:15 GMT

warrior
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Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:02:45 GMT

invasion
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Fri, 26 Sep 2008 13:01:56 GMT

respect
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Spout Tag:battle-war

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:03:15 GMT

battle-war
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Spout Tag:book-to-movie

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:29:49 GMT

book-to-movie
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Spout Tag:Grendel

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:14:08 GMT

Grendel
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Spout Tag:viking

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:52:17 GMT

viking
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Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:02:05 GMT

diplomat
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Thu, 11 Jan 2007 02:30:55 GMT

duels
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Wed, 02 Jul 2008 16:01:36 GMT

mangy-dogs
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Mon, 25 Sep 2006 20:29:49 GMT

norse
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